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. 2021 Nov 12;61(1):327-340.
doi: 10.5334/pb.1064. eCollection 2021.

Mental Health Inequalities During COVID-19 Outbreak: The Role of Financial Insecurity and Attentional Control

Nele Claes  1 , Annique Smeding  1 , Arnaud Carré  1
Affiliations

Mental Health Inequalities During COVID-19 Outbreak: The Role of Financial Insecurity and Attentional Control

Nele Claes et al. Psychol Belg. .

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns negatively impacted the mental health of populations. This impact is not equally distributed and increases existing mental health inequalities. Indeed, government restrictions and the economic consequences of the pandemic affect more the less educated and less wealthy people. However, psychological processes implicated in this increase of mental health inequalities during the COVID-19 pandemic remain unexplored. The present study (N=591) tested the role of financial insecurity and attentional control in the relation between socioeconomic status and mental health, along with the influence of trait anxiety. Based on Structural Equation Modelling, findings showed a mediation effect of financial insecurity, but not of attentional control, in the relationship between socioeconomic status and mental health. In addition, exploratory analyses suggested that financial insecurity also mediated the effect of attentional control on mental health. Results of the present research point at the importance of understanding psychological processes implicated in the effect of economic crises on mental health inequalities.

Keywords: COVID-19; Socioeconomic status; attentional control; financial insecurity; lockdown; mental health inequalities.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no competing interests to declare.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Theoretical model tested in the study. Note: The model tests the influences of socioeconomic status indicators measured by home possessions (SES) on attentional control pooled in a latent variable, financial insecurity, and mental health. Attentional control influences financial insecurity and mental health. The model also takes into account the effect of trait anxiety on attentional control, financial insecurity, and mental health.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Summary of Model A2. Note: The figure includes the direct effects, as well as the main indirect effects of Model A2. *** p < .001; ** p < .01; * p < .05.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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